General Assembly Raised Bill No. 282 seeks to improve the care and maintenance of veterans' graves in Connecticut by requiring each city or town to appoint a committee of three veteran citizens by January 1, 2027. This committee will oversee the maintenance of graves for military service members and will be responsible for monitoring an electronic mail account established for receiving complaints about grave maintenance. Additionally, the Commissioner of Consumer Protection will create a similar email account for non-municipal cemeteries. The bill also introduces a grant program through the Department of Consumer Protection to assist municipalities with grave maintenance, with specific eligibility criteria and application processes to be developed by the same deadline.

The legislation further mandates that cemetery associations file minutes of their annual meetings and financial statements with the appointed committees for public inspection for at least twenty years. It prohibits any officer, director, or trustee of a cemetery association from holding a similar position in any company managing the cemetery. A process is established for interested parties to petition the probate court if a cemetery association fails to file the required minutes, allowing the court to grant disclosure if the petitioner demonstrates sufficient interest. The bill repeals and replaces existing statutes to incorporate these new requirements, with an effective date of October 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 27-123